Socio-Political Development

Since independence in 1990, Namibia has consolidated its democratic institutions. The constitution provides for human and political rights and values an independent judiciary and also envisages a multi-party system for Namibia.

Measures: Training and DialogueThe Hanns Seidel Foundation carries out capacity building interventions for civil society organisations, public institutions and political parties from local to national level to foster democratic citizenship and participation in Namibia. Our work focuses on the following topics:

Our dialogue platforms are equally popular and bring together different stakeholders from civil society, the media, from politics and business around current issues.

Aims and ObjectivesOur aims and objectives are the promotion of democracy and social policy. The Hanns Seidel Foundation encourages undefined socio-political dialogue at the national level in Namibia.

The strengthening of the capacities of civil society organisations, political parties, decision-makers as well as disadvantaged groups allows for well informed civic and political involvement. A further measure is to inform policy makers, civil society, media and the public about current issues and helping to disseminate well researched information.

Contact & Further InformationFor more information, please contact us at info@hsf.org.na

Youth Perspectives on Harambee ‪#‎yohnam‬

On the 14th of June 2016, the Hanns Seidel Foundation in collaboration with the Namibian Newspaper, the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) and partners co-hosted a panel discussion on “Youth Perspective on Harambee”. Hundreds of Namibian youth, mostly students from different high schools and tertiary institutions across Windhoek, attended the Youth Perspective on Harembee Forum at the Warehouse Theatre. Read more here

Video on Youth Perspectives on the Harambee Prosperity Plan

Learn more about what your Namibians have to say about the Harambee Prosperity Plan. Watch video

Commemorating National Youth Week

Hundreds of youth from across the fourteen regions in Namibia attended the Youth Speak Forum on the 29th of April 2016 at the GZ Function Center in Windhoek to celebrate the National Youth Week. The event was held under the theme “Promoting Sustainable Entrepreneurship” with the aim of exploring how youth entrepreneurship can drive economic development and support to SMEs growth. Read more here

Social Entrepreneurship Forum Inspires and Engages the Youth

From the 16th until the 17th of October 2015 a two day Youth Speak Forum co-hosted by the AIESEC Namibia took place at The International University of Management (IUM). Under the theme of Social Entrepreneurship: "How to see problems as opportunities" young people had the opportunity to come together with representatives from different sectors to discuss how to think and act out of the box. Read more here

Namibian youth taking local action for global impacts

On the 22nd of September 2015 the Generation of African Intellectuals’ Trust (GAIT) co-hosted a Conscious Citizens youth dialogue in partnership with Free Your Mind (FYM) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) at Warehouse Theatre. The last Conscious Citizens dialogue of the year encouraged young Namibians to adopt a global outlook on local efforts. Read more here

Student life is more than University

Power Talks were held on the 17th of September at the International University of Namibia (IUM). Students were challenged to “think outside the box”. The event attract a large number of students from IUM, the Polytechnic of Namibia and the University of Namibia. Read more here

Launch of Youth Dialogue Platform “Conscious Citizens"

On the 11th of September 2014 the Hanns Seidel Foundation in collaboration with the Generation of African Intellectuals Trust (GAIT) and Free Your Mind Comedy (FYMC) co- founded “Conscious Citizens”, a youth dialogue platform. The first panel discussion was themed “Namibian Youth Patriotism”. Read more here

Youth debate the relevance of foreign aid towards state projects

Conscious Citizens in collaboration with the Namibia Debate Academy and the University of Namibia’s Legal Aid Clinic Firm Suarez hosted a high schools debate competition themed “Good Governance and Democracy - A Youth Perspective” on the 29th of August 2015 at A. Shipena Secondary School in Katutura, Windhoek. Read more here

Youth learns about Public Speaking and Debate

The theme for the event hosted by Conscious Citizens on the 25th of July 2015 at the Physicaly Active Youth (PAY) Centre in Katutura was “Dialogue and Opportunity for all”. The primary objective of the event was to encourage dialogue amongst the youth as well as introducing them to the art of public speaking and debate. Read more here

House of Democracy hosts first SADC Youth Water Forum in Namibia

The SADC Youth Water forum held its first meeting on the 23 July 2015 at the House of Democracy in Windhoek, Namibia. The event was organized by the Youth Water Task Team stemming from the recently held regional SADC Water Weeks in May 2015 under the theme “From Vision to Action” in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation‘s youth dialogue platform, Conscious Citizens. Read more here

HSF conducts training workshops with youth in Otjiwarongo

The three day training workshops was an effort towards youth empowerment on relevant subjects such as organisational skills and leadership. The training took place in Otjiwarongo from the 13th until the 16th of July 2015 with a youth group called 4H Namibia. Read more here

Namibian Democracy: Setting the Pace for Africa

“Namibia has been a model of democracy during its 25 years of independence.” stated the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Namibia, Honorable Prof Peter Katjavivi during his keynote address on the 25th of July 2015. Read more here

Conscious Citizens discuss gender-based violence in Namibia

The topic of gender based violence has been a particularly pressing one in Namibia in the past years. The youth platform Conscious Citizens addressed it in its latest gathering, which took place on the 14th of April 2015 in Windhoek. Read more here

Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship in Namibia

“When a person is provided with opportunities to challenge the status quo, he/she is forced to step out of their comfort zone and lead.” This is what Alisa Amupolo, who is the founder of the Amustra Group and the Tedx Windhoek 2014-2015 licensee, pointed out at the Conscious Citizens event that took place on the 17th of February 2015. Read more here

25 Years of Democracy

In this commemorative publication, Celebrating 25 years of Democratic Elections, the focus is not only on the elections held in Namibia since 1989, but we also take an in-depth look at other democratic processes. Insightful analyses of essential elements of democracy are provided by analysts who are regarded as experts on Namibian politics. Celebrating 25 years of Democracy

Political Party Exhibition and Election Debate

On November the 4th 2014 the Namibian public engaged with a variety of political parties contesting in the presidential and national assembly elections. Furthermore, the Namibian youth had the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues with different youth league leaders on the party manifestos and of relevance to them. Read more here